Chapter Text
Chapter 24
..~**~..
..~**~..
Humans everywhere. Humans who had fed the Tree.
They woke up, no longer trapped within the roots.
Men, women, children.
All of them bigger than me and looking at me in concern.
The Beast was gone. Mother was gone. But still the energy swirled within me, ready to be unleashed onto the two Brothers who were nowhere to be found.
A human wrapped me in a cloak. "You poor thing. Wear this before you catch your death."
I stared at my frail body. A child's body. I was human still and the humans believed me to be one of them.
I ran.
I ran and ran and ran until my little lungs burned and my short legs could run no more.
But everywhere I looked Mother was no more. Her presence and her power were gone.
And the Beast.
I felt its energy in the Brothers' village and followed it like a light.
I found one of the Brothers, Hagoromo was his name, controlling and shaping the Beast's energy as Mother had shaped me.
The Beast became nine and the Tree I loved so dearly was no more.
Fire raged within me, but my body was frail.
It required food and water and shelter.
I hid among the rocks and caves of the ravaged lands, trailing Hagoromo as he helped humans restore the farmland and gathered followers. He found new homes for the beasts and built shrines in their honour.
I remained in hiding. I spoke to each of the beasts but none of them knew me.
The Beast I had loved and cherished was gone.
Humans tried to stop me. Tried to help when they saw my frail body, but I kept them away releasing the fire within if they got too close.
Hagoromo came back to his village and I followed. Lost and scared.
I lived in the forest with the birds longing for my feathers and wings.
And in the forest, the black shadow found me.
"I know what you are," it said. "I know what you can do. Work with me and we will bring Mother back."
..~**~..
Itachi cupped the warm rice in his hands, molding and twisting the ball into a triangular shape.
Lucy had prepared an array of fillings within his reach, the acrid smell of umeboshi overpowering all others. Dry nori seaweed lay flat on the table to his far left, ready to cover the finished rice balls.
Despite his temporary blindness, the kunoichi had put him to work after breakfast as she took care of preparing miso soup for the day. They worked in companionable silence except for the wooden spoon stirring the soup and the soft tunes of Lucy's humming broken by the occasional curse word.
She seemed in a happier mood than when she'd arrived. At night he'd heard her whimper from nightmares, but it was a far cry from the night they had spent at the inn. Cooking clearly wasn't a passion of hers, but she had been nothing if not diligent in her work since her arrival. Every day she'd made sure to prepare enough food for both Sasuke and him and had gone to great lengths to prepare dishes they could both enjoy despite his brother's cold attitude.
On the second night, Itachi had practically dragged Sasuke to the lounge so that Lucy could perform her check-up and even then his brother had refused to answer any of her questions and had slapped her hands away the second his patience had run out, heading straight for his room.
Despite Sasuke's icy demeanour and angry words, Lucy had reigned in her own frustration and kept quiet. Surprisingly, she seemed to be handling him well, despite admitting that the dark chakra was prone to react to any hint of anger or pain.
But Lucy had always been surprising, Itachi noted.
And now she posed a problem.
A serious problem he hadn't foreseen.
Because after years of self-discipline, rigorous training and strategic planning; his control was slipping.
Control over his actions.
Control over his emotions.
Control around her.
And he couldn't stop turning the problem around in his head.
Ever since he had been granted a second chance at life, his determination and focus had gone out the window every time he saw her.
His curiosity was piqued, and he simply couldn't get her out of his head.
He had never encountered such a girl before – passionate, determined, smart, even quite cunning at times.
She was different. She could be outspoken and brash, but at the heart of it all, she was kind and cared deeply for others.
She had cared for him, not that he deserved her sympathy.
Or deserved her.
But that hadn't stopped him from wanting to see her again. From wanting to protect her from Danzo, from Root, and even from his own brother. Back on the bridge, empty promises of finding answers for her had tumbled from his lips without a second thought.
He hadn't realised then how much his control had slipped, but ever since she had shown up at the cabin, it was plain as day.
He had tried to rationalise his actions as a by-product of being close to a girl after so many months on the road, but it was more than that.
He had spent years repressing any emotions he may have felt towards the opposite sex and it had been an easy feat while working within Akatsuki. He had acted on his baser needs only a handful of times when the opportunity had arisen, but he had never entertained the idea of attraction with a woman beyond lust.
His cold façade had acted as a barrier on more than one occasion to any woman who had tried to approach him, and for the braver ones, the hint of red eyes had sent them scurrying away.
But with Lucy, the situation was reversed.
She had snuck through his defenses and he found himself seeking her out more and more each day.
Why couldn't he keep away?
And why couldn't he stop himself from wanting to touch her?
Like an addict.
Her hair, her cheek, her hand, her shoulder.
It was as if he was trying to see her through the tips of his fingers – the lines of her face, the softness of her skin, the curves of her body—
"Itachi?"
Too caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't heard her approach the table.
"Are you finished?"
Before he had a chance to speak, she leaned closer, her soft skin brushing against his arm and a warmth spread through his chest.
"Wow, look at these!" She must have caught sight of the stack of onigiri he had made. "How did you make them so neat?"
His lips quirked as she praised his skill.
"Are you sure you're blind underneath that bandage?"
His smile grew. "You should know I've been making onigiri since I was just a child."
"I can tell." She set a napkin between his hands so that he could wipe stray grains of rice stuck to his skin. "Well, if you're done, the soup is ready and—"
She stiffened, her voice falling quiet.
The kitchen door slid open and the distinct hissing of snakes echoed in the room as Sasuke entered.
Itachi had heard his brother use his summons from time to time to get around the house and outdoors. He had hoped Sasuke would refrain from using his snakes around Lucy but apparently he had very little consideration for anybody other than Itachi.
"Nii-san." he greeted, his dark energy smothering the light mood of the kitchen. "I'll be waiting outside."
"I'll join you soon," Itachi answered in an even tone.
"Hn."
Just as the hissing snakes moved away, Lucy shifted. "Sasuke, don't you want something to eat?"
Itachi knew it was futile to ask. As long as she was there, Sasuke wouldn't eat around her, although Itachi knew for a fact that his brother often raided the fridge at night.
There was a long pause before the kitchen door slid shut.
Sasuke had ignored her again. There was nothing to be done but Itachi hoped she wouldn't be upset by his brother's rude behaviour.
Before he could offer a sympathetic word, her footsteps echoed across the kitchen towards the closest window.
"Oh my God." Her voice reverberated as if she were peering through the window and speaking against the glass.
Itachi stilled, preparing for the worst. "What is it?"
"He's still wearing it!"
He frowned realising she didn't seem the least affected by Sasuke's cold brush off. On the contrary, she seemed amused. "What do you mean?"
"You know… that weird purple rope thing! He put it on again this morning," she exclaimed in a loud whisper. "Why haven't you told him to burn it already?"
Her comment on Sasuke's sense of fashion caught him off-guard and he stifled a laugh.
She shifted from her spot, and he could feel her piercing gaze on him.
"Wait… did you just snort?"
Itachi did his best to school his features into his usual blank mask. "No."
"Did I just make Uchiha Itachi snort?"
"Of course not. Uchihas don't snort," he said, remembering his father's reprimand from years ago.
She hummed, mumbling something that sounded like "Uchihas don't snort, my ass," under her breath.
"You should do it more often."
"What?"
"Laugh, I mean," she explained, coming to stand by the table. "Or snort, whichever feels more natural—"
He could hear the teasing smile on her face. "Lucy—"
"I'll make it happen again, you know," she added, as if it were a challenge.
He raised a brow, deciding to play along as he got to his feet. "I doubt it."
"Really? Because we're stuck here together for days still and who knows what might happen."
He followed the sound of her voice and again an insatiable need to touch her filled him. He reached out, his fingers feeling the soft curls of her hair framing her face and she froze. It seemed she had chosen to wear her hair down and he could picture her chestnut curls tumbling about her shoulders in his mind.
He wished he could see her bright green eyes again that held every hue of the Hashirama forest in summer – bold and beautiful. They had drawn him in from the moment she had fallen at his feet on that dusty dirt road back in Kawa.
Brushing a strand of her hair away, Itachi bent closer to her ear.
"Who knows indeed."
A gasp left her lips and satisfaction swelled within him. The heat from her face met his and he couldn't bring himself to pull away just yet as his fingers lingered at the nape of her neck.
If he turned his head just right, he was sure his lips would meet her skin.
If he turned his head…
The warmth disappeared as Lucy abruptly stepped back.
He straightened, dropping his hand, and ignored the sudden coldness spreading through his chest as he came back to his senses.
He had lost control again.
He had let himself get distracted by a girl he did not deserve, no matter the connection between them.
"Itachi—"
"I'll be outside with Sasuke. Thank you for the food."
The words came out harsher than intended as anger simmered within him.
He needed to get away.
Away from her to clear his head and focus on the war.
On Madara.
He left, heading through the door before she could say another word, but grateful that she was level-headed enough to have pulled away. He had almost lost himself in the moment, lost himself in her despite knowing that that would never be an option for him.
No matter what had transpired between them, they could escape the fact of who he was and what he had done.
He was a clan killer, a missing-nin, a murderer.
He had sealed his fate years ago.
There was no future for him beyond the war and certainly not with her.
..~**~..
I slid the shoji door and entered a wide tatami room at the end of the house. Chilly mountain air filtered through the cracks along the large bay windows plunging the room's temperature.
Beyond the windows lay a beautiful Japanese garden with stone lanterns and a fish pond, but that wasn't what had caught my attention. The reason why I kept visiting the cold room was the vast collection of musical instruments exposed on a set of stands wrapped within protective felt covers. Shakuhachi, or Japanese flute, shamisen, biwa, large drums called taiko, and the one instrument I recognised straight away, a koto.
The koto was a large string instrument set on the ground with thirteen strings which geisha played in ancient times. Unwrapping the protective layer, I beamed at the sight of the instrument, slipping the fingerpicks on the three fingers of my right hand.
The music department at my university had obtained one and I had been lucky to get a few lessons from a professor when I had chosen to write a report on Japanese musical instruments. I had learned to play the piano and the guitar from a young age, but the koto was a different beast.
I plucked a few strings, trying to reacquaint myself with the sounds and find familiar notes and chords.
Every day I had come after training, escaping to the room at the end of the house where neither Itachi nor Sasuke ever looked for me and for a moment, in this room, I could forget all my troubles and simply focus on music.
I tried to remember the notes to the Ghibli music I had practiced with the professor and spent an hour repeating the notes again and again until my fingers skimmed over the strings with more confidence than the previous day. I hummed the words to the song, one of the few Japanese songs I had ever learned by heart.
The sound of raindrops hitting the stoned path outside brought me back to reality and I paused.
Itachi and Sasuke were on the other side of the house, their chakra like two soft blue lights in my mind's eye.
Night was falling. I knew I should check on them before starting dinner.
At the thought of facing them both, I faulted.
Things had been relatively peaceful since my arrival. Itachi and I had both fallen into a routine of sorts; cooking and chatting in the mornings and then training for the rest of the day outside.
After training I would spend an hour or two in the music room and then prepare dinner. Some nights I would attend to the brothers' eyes making sure there wasn't any swelling or infection, and other nights I would drink tea with Itachi, read or meditate.
Sasuke hadn't warmed up to me at all and mostly kept to himself. Itachi had to convince him to let me check his eyes and each time his patience always ran thin. He barely spoke to me, sometimes wouldn't even acknowledge my presence but I didn't mind.
Better to let his rude behaviour wash over me than have the dark chakra react to it and cause a fight.
On the contrary, living with Itachi had been smooth sailing. He was patient, kind and helpful, and we'd grown closer spending so much time in close quarters.
He was easy to talk to and everything had been going swimmingly until the "kitchen incident".
Since then, he spent more time in his room and I had a distinct feeling he had chosen to keep his distance.
It was my fault.
I had dropped my guard around him and somehow, things had gone beyond simple friendship.
I had sensed it from the way his features had softened at the sound of my voice. The way his hand had reached out for me – his fingers caressing my face, my hair. The way his low voice had rumbled in my ear, smooth and alluring, melting my insides.
Who knows indeed.
The teasing had been friendly and innocent enough until those three words had come out of his mouth.
His lips had lingered close to my ear making me flush all over. His strong body had stood so close that I could feel its heat seep into my clothes, his presence both comforting and terrifying at the same time.
My mind had been jumbled with emotions and in a blind panic, I had pulled away.
Although I couldn't see his eyes, the tightness in his jaw had been clear and he had left the kitchen while my mind had still been trying to grasp the situation.
God, I'm such an idiot!
I pulled on my blue hoodie, dug my cold hands into the lined pockets and left the music room in a huff. I hadn't seen Itachi much since that morning and I couldn't tell if he was punishing himself or me.
Had he meant for it to happen – whatever it was – or had he realised he had made a mistake the second I had stepped away?
Itachi was focused on the war, on defeating Madara – on Sasuke. I was nothing compared to all that, just a friendly presence until the two brothers recovered.
Maybe he was angry with me?
I had gotten him tangled into my mess by unloading my secrets on him on the day of my arrival. We had spent so much time since talking about everything and nothing and I had liked it – a lot.
I liked his company – his curious mind – his attention.
You like him plain and simple.
I faulted, my steps heavy and sluggish as I walked down the long corridor. The lounge door loomed ahead, and my stomach clenched in dread.
Shit.
It was my fault.
Whatever I was feeling for the missing-nin was causing him problems and the last thing I wanted was to be a burden.
Except… except it wasn't just me, was it?
The feel of his fingers in my hair came to my mind and my heart jolted.
Tsunade had mentioned he had a soft spot for me…
No, no, no, a soft spot meant nothing!
Genma had a soft spot for me and so did Yugao, but that was nothing compared to real feelings.
Besides my feelings weren't real either.
It was just a silly crush.
A silly crush that had started from the time Kisame and him had kidnapped me and that I had to put a stop to before it ruined everything.
I had to keep it friendly and professional for the remainder of my time or things were going to be awkward as hell.
As I stood before the shoji door sensing the brothers' presence beyond, my senses went wild at the idea of speaking to Itachi.
God, get a grip, Luce! You're making a fool out of yourself and now is not the time for ridiculous romantic fantasies. Remember what happened last time with Ryo!
I ran my fingers through my hair to soothe my nerves. They settled on the green pendant hanging around my neck as thoughts of my brown-haired teammate invaded my mind.
What would Ryo think of me now if he saw me fretting over Uchiha Itachi?
No doubt he would laugh and tell me to get over myself.
The thought of him reminded me of his brother Daichi and my recent trip to Doukutsu. I had hoped to ask Sasuke what he knew but approaching him was difficult.
Well it's now or never. Just ask him and if he ignores you then so be it.
Taking a deep breath, I slid the door open and slipped inside the large tatami room. The two brothers sat side by side, facing away from me in silent meditation by the low table. They looked at peace despite the downpour of rain echoing outside and looked almost identical in their navy blue-collared shirts, one plain and the other sporting the red-and-white Uchiha symbol.
At least Sasuke wasn't wearing his purple bow around his waist.
The room itself was spartan, with a few cushions, a bookshelf filled with old books, scrolls, and a shogi game set that intrigued me.
"Lucy." Itachi peered over his shoulder, looking as achingly handsome as ever.
My throat ran dry.
Oh God… I'm so screwed.
His mouth moved, and I was mesmerised, glimpsing pearly white teeth behind his lips. I wondered what it would have felt like if I had had the courage to meet his lips with mine in the kitchen, instead of fleeing like a coward.
His head tilted, dark raven bangs falling over his bandaged eyes, and a warmth spread through me.
"Lucy?"
I blinked. "Huh? Oh sorry, did you say something?"
"I asked if you enjoyed the music room."
Sasuke turned his head as well and I flushed brighter. "Oh, I didn't think you'd be able to hear the music. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."
"It's alright. I was listening for it," he continued, rising to his feet. "I didn't know you could play the koto."
He stayed put, keeping his distance, and I ignored the pang of disappointment.
"I can't, I mean not really." I had really hoped they wouldn't hear the music coming from the other side of the cabin, but it was so damn quiet in the house. "I was just practicing."
"I'd like to hear you play sometime." His request sounded earnest as if my music were on par with professionals when we both knew it wasn't anything close.
But that was typical of Itachi. He never dismissed my skills or words. He always spoke to me as an equal and unlike other men I had known, often asked for my opinion or ideas. Beyond his physical appearance, he was also kind, respectful and supportive.
A smile bloomed on my face. "Sure."
Sasuke scoffed. "You should spend that time training instead." His sharp voice crushed my good mood. I'd almost forgot about him. Grabbing his sword lying flat beside him, he got to his feet. "Your throws are weak."
I was peeved by his comment. He had barely spoken two words to me since my arrival and the first proper sentence out of his mouth was to criticise my throwing skills.
How the fuck does he know? Could he tell just from the sound of my kunai hitting their target?
I crossed my arms, refusing to argue with him. "I'm working on it."
"Hn." His hand reached out for the wall, following the wooden panelling towards the door. I could have helped and guided him out, but I knew he wouldn't thank me for it.
Sasuke had too much pride.
Still, he had spoken to me. Progress had been made and perhaps now was a good time to ask him about Daichi.
Warning signs flashed through my mind, but I ignored them and decided to take a chance.
"Actually Sasuke… I need to ask you something."
He ignored me, marching on, and my hands clenched around my arms trying to control my frustration.
"Please."
He stopped and turned his head indicating he was listening.
"There's someone I'm looking for and you may have crossed paths. He was in a civilian prison and was apparently taken to Orochimaru." I bit my lip, watching for any kind of reaction. He gave none. "During your training in Sound... did you ever see the prisoners Orochimaru kept there?"
He remained impassive as ever. "Aa."
Ok, that's a start.
"Did you ever speak to any of them?"
"No." He twisted his body, his face following the sound of my voice. Surprisingly his interest seemed piqued. "Who are you looking for?"
"My teammate's brother," I admitted. "He was taken and I want to know what happened to him. His name was Taketori—"
"If he was a prisoner then he's probably dead." His voice resonated through the room, cold and unforgiving.
I grit my teeth. Apparently the little prick was done indulging me. His dark chakra was tense, a pulsing threat against my skin, but I wasn't done yet.
"And I suppose you never even tried to help those poor people?"
Itachi, who had kept quiet during the exchange, closed in behind me.
"They were murderers and thieves, they hardly deserved my sympathy," the younger brother retorted.
"Really? Because I doubt committing a theft deserves being sold to Orochimaru as a laboratory rat, wouldn't you agree?"
Sasuke said nothing, which only drew my ire.
"They didn't deserve to die the way they did," I snapped. "They didn't deserve to be tortured for that man's sick experiments. You could have helped them."
His mouth twisted into a cruel smirk. "And why would I help the weak?"
Dark chakra broke free, spreading through my chest.
Wow… I bet your parents would be so proud, Sasuke.
The words were on the tip of my tongue. Words that would hurt him. Anything to wipe off the smug look on his face—
"Lucy."
Itachi's firm voice brought me back to reality, quelling the urge to fight that burned through me.
He took a step closer and I reached out, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. The last thing I wanted was to make him worry about me as well.
I took a moment to push down the outrage that was trying to claw its way out and then turned to Sasuke, still standing by the wall.
"Don't do that. Don't goad me into anger. You won't like the result."
The look on his face told me that was exactly what he was trying to accomplish. "What made you believe I would help a Konoha shinobi?"
I gave a sharp laugh at the irony of his question. "Well funny you should say that because technically speaking, I'm not a Konoha citizen."
"What do you mean?" Itachi asked.
"I'm a Konoha kunoichi for now but it's not official. Not until I get married according to some old law."
"The Nidaime Hokage's law," the elder brother clarified in understanding. "Kekkai genkai users need to get married and pass on their gift if they wish to obtain citizenship and rights."
Nidaime… who is that? Ah right. The one with silver hair… Tobirama.
I hummed in agreement and stored away the tidbit of information hoping one day I might give the reincarnated Hokage a piece of my mind.
Sasuke looked annoyed. He sported the same scowl as when Itachi forced him to let me examine his eyes.
"So, since I'm not a citizen, will you help me?" I asked him, sounding more optimistic than I felt.
"No."
I rolled my eyes as he left, the shoji door sliding shut with more force than necessary.
The rain continued to fall, resonating through the house and after a moment I let out a long breath.
"Well, I would call that progress, wouldn't you?" I turned to Itachi, who looked impassive as usual.
"You managed to control your anger."
"Yes, and it was quite a challenge," I added, amusement filtering in my voice as I guided him back to the hallway. "He criticised my throwing skills."
Itachi's hand curled around the crook of my elbow. "My brother has a talent for pointing out people's insecurities."
"I was quite proud of my throws as well," I continued with a pout, leading him to the door. "I managed to hit more difficult targets with shuriken."
"I have no doubt he was exaggerating."
I gave a light chuckle. "I wouldn't be so sure. Clearly, I'm no Uchiha genius."
The hint of a smile appeared before he seemed to catch himself and looked away. Letting go of my arm, he reached for the door, his expression unreadable beneath all the bandages.
The atmosphere had grown tense again and I hated it.
The door slid open, and I realised he intended to leave without another word.
"I'm heading to the kitchen," I announced, selfishly hoping to keep him a little longer. "You're welcome to come help with dinner."
There. That was a simple enough invite. Itachi usually insisted on helping me in the kitchen, no matter how little he could do in his current state.
He paused, keeping his back to me. "I should go check on Sasuke."
My face fell. "Right."
I tried not to let it affect me. He was here to keep an eye on his brother after all, not spend all his time with me, which was what had gotten us into this mess in the first place. And Sasuke needed his support more than I did. The crazed look in his eyes might have disappeared, but it had been replaced with a cold, calculating one instead.
I wrung my hands wondering whether to apologise for "the kitchen incident". Itachi hadn't mentioned it at all and after a moment's hesitation, I decided to keep my mouth shut.
I watched him leave, a sinking feeling in my gut. If he wanted to keep his distance, then I needed to respect that.
Before he disappeared, his tall figure stopped in the corridor. "Tomorrow, if you wish, I can offer you some assistance during your training."
"Really?! I mean, yes. That would be great."
He didn't answer, simply nodding before walking away.
..~**~..
He shouldn't have offered his help for training.
He realised his mistake the next day the second Lucy had led him outdoors to the training area and he'd stood by her side, the flowery scent of her shampoo filling his nose with every soft breeze.
Dinner and breakfast had been a strange affair without her usual presence, but he had tried not to dwell on the feeling and had chosen to focus on Sasuke instead. They had discussed the consequences of their eye transplant well into the night.
Would it grant them Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan as they had hoped? Sasuke had been skeptical. The Sharingan only evolved after a traumatic experience and legend had it that Madara had killed his brother, Izuna, to obtain the most powerful evolution of their dojutsu. However, there was no evidence to support the claim that the wielder needed to kill another Uchiha in order to gain power.
Itachi was sure the transplant would work. And within days both brothers had felt the power of the other circling through their eyes and mingling with their chakra.
It would work.
It had to.
Thunk.
Lucy's kunai embedded itself into the tree trunk dragging Itachi's thoughts back to reality.
Thunk.
He listened to her practice again and again. Her aim had gotten better and her throws were more controlled, but from the sound of them, they weren't powerful enough.
"You're hesitating," he noted, turning to face her. "You're hitting your target, but you aren't putting enough strength behind your throws."
"Yeah, Root taught me to prioritise accuracy over strength." He could hear the scrape of metal as she retrieved another weapon from her pouch.
"Your weapons may cut through wood, but they will barely scratch good armour. Try again with more strength."
He sensed her hesitation, but she did as she was told and as expected the weapons grazed the tree but didn't hit their mark.
Hearing her frustrated sigh, Itachi stepped closer. "Show me your form, the way your fingers hold the handle."
"Oh… um, alright."
He offered his open hand and she took it, the warmth of her skin spreading up his arm.
She explained her steps covering his hand with her own to show him her form. He barely heard a word as his body acted on instinct and he glided behind her, notes of jasmine filling his nose as her hair brushed his chest.
"Put your shoulders back and stand straight." His hand glided over her shoulder from behind, tracing up across her collar bone and neck before reaching for her chin. He clasped it and felt her go rigid under his touch as he turned her head towards the tree. "Look at your target, keep a firm eye on it even after you release your blade."
His calloused fingers moulded her own soft ones over the hilt of the kunai showing her how best to throw.
"Now relax and try again," he whispered before letting go and stepping away.
She inhaled deeply, taking a moment to focus before the sound of metal rang through the air without hitting a target.
"Crap," she said, trudging towards the tree.
"It sounded stronger," he acknowledged. "Try again."
She kept on practicing, listening to his tips about form and release and demonstrated with his own hand a couple of times until her weapon finally hit the tree with a satisfying thunk.
"Oh my God, I did it!" She clasped his arm tight with excitement. "Itachi, it hit dead centre as well, I can't believe it!"
He nodded. "Keep practicing the same way and you'll hit your target every time."
"I will, your advice really helped." She paused, squeezing his arm once more before letting go. "Thank you, really. I'm so grateful."
A warm feeling enveloped him whole but she dashed away before he could give her an answer.
"Hey!" she called out while searching among the crackling autumn leaves for her strewn weapons. "Are you up for a friendly competition? I mean since you're blind, we'd be at equal level, right?"
He titled his head, amused. No one had beat him at target practice since Shisui.
"Hmm."
"Come on, it'll be fun. You can go first." She grabbed his hand, placing the leather covered hilts into his palm. "Careful, I gave you three kunai. If you want I can stand by the tree so you can know where—"
With a flick of his wrist, the three blades whizzed through the air, embedding themselves into the trunk one after the other.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
Beside him, Lucy had stilled. "Well, fuck me."
A smirk spread across his lips as he turned away. "Keep practicing."
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Itachi stayed by Sasuke's side as he trained, practicing kata and simple exercises and then stayed in his room to meditate.
The delicate notes of the koto reached his ears in the late afternoon and he focused on the sound, listening to the plucked strings and the soft voice accompanying them.
The music was melancholic and he let himself relax, focusing on the tone that struck a chord within him. It sounded sorrowful, almost tragic, but the sweet voice filling his ears kept his attention until the end.
He didn't seek Lucy out again until after dinner.
His plan to stay put in his room until morning was disrupted by the sudden return of his crow, scroll in beak.
He followed her chakra to the lounge and hearing a cascade of dull clattering on the low table, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Lucy?"
The sound halted, followed by a rustle of clothes as she got to her feet. "Itachi, is everything alright?"
He stayed put not wanting to disturb. "What was that sound?"
"Oh, I was bored so I decided to try out shogi."
The scroll was heavy in his pocket. There was no time to lose, he needed to show it to her. And yet guilt gnawed at him for staying in his room so long and not coming to find her sooner. They used to spend their evenings in the kitchen drinking tea after dinner, but he had put an end to their talks when he had started eating in his room.
After a moment's hesitation, he decided to indulge in her company instead. A game of shogi wouldn't hurt.
"Do you know how to play?" He stepped forward following her voice until her hand skimmed across his arm and led him to the low table.
"No. There's a manual but I'm not sure I set up the board correctly."
"There are twenty pieces on each side organised in three rows. King in the middle then gold general, silver, knight and lance," he explained, settling down on the soft cushion across the low table from her.
"Ah, hang on." The familiar clatter of the wooden pieces resounded through the lounge. "Ok, I think I got it. It seems quite similar to chess except for the generals, they move in a really random manner. The gold general can move in any direction except diagonally back, is that right?"
"Yes." She seemed to have picked up the rules fast and Itachi was excited to teach her more about a game he had enjoyed so much as a child. "Want to try your hand at it?"
"Against you? I guess so." The board glided along the table coming to sit between them. "How would it work?"
"Call out your piece for each move and I will be able to follow."
She paused, not quite believing he could keep track of the board. "Okaaay… but I have to warn you, I get pretty competitive at games."
"Hmm." That made two of them.
Half an hour later and after a few practice rounds, he had captured half of Lucy's pieces during their first real game.
To his amusement, her mood was turning sour by the second. She grumbled incessantly under her breath as she inspected the board.
"This is ridiculous!" she finally burst, slamming a palm on the wooden table. "How am I losing? You can't even see the board!"
Before he could answer, her tone turned sharp. "Are you cheating?"
He smirked, imagining the angry look on her face. "Just because you can't win against me doesn't mean I'm cheating."
"Ok, fine. You win."
They began gathering all the pieces together, her warm skin brushing against his as he felt around the board. "Once you've recovered your sight, please teach me how to play properly Itachi-sensei."
The name on her lips elicited an unexpected visceral response in his gut.
"Did you need my help with anything else tonight?" she asked, putting the shogi board away.
He ignored the slew of images that came to his mind with great difficulty.
"No. I have something to show you instead." He pulled out the scroll from his inner pocket and waited for her to settle down across from him before showing her.
She hesitated. "What is this?"
The scroll was heavy in his hand as he waited for her to take it.
"It's a scroll from the Uchiha's private collection. It is not meant to be shown to anyone outside the clan, but I believe it may have some answers."
"Oh… okay, then."
She took the scroll, her breathing becoming irregular as she unfolded the delicate rice paper on the table.
Her silence unnerved him. He had thought she would have welcomed the information contained within with open arms and relief, but instead she seemed apprehensive.
"I - umm… I can't read it," she admitted. "I recognise some characters, but I think… it's ancient script perhaps."
Itachi nodded, anticipating as much. "Our clan used to have librarians and philologists who specialised in handling and translating these scrolls."
"There are drawings though," she continued in a small voice. "They're quite stylised, but…"
Her hesitancy put him on edge and although he was usually a patient man, he couldn't stop himself from asking, "What do you see?"
A long silence followed his question and when she spoke again, he detected fear in her voice.
"At the top, I see a woman… with fair hair and fair skin. She's surrounded by small people, children perhaps, with dark hair and Sharingan eyes. Below, the same woman is on fire. The flames… they burn all around her. Blue, orange, yellow, red. They're shaped… like the wings of a bird. And then she's… Oh God —"
She rolled up the scroll and pushed it back into his hand.
"Lucy? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she answered far too quickly.
"What did you see?"
"Nothing, it's fine." Without warning, she was up on her feet and pacing about the room. "I just —"
She stopped in her tracks, and he could sense a disturbance in her chakra from the strong emotions swirling within her.
Something was wrong. Something in the scroll had her spooked and he waited for her to speak first.
"Itachi, I need you to promise me something." Her strained voice came out as a whisper. "I don't know what Madara's intentions are with me, but if things go bad, if he gets hold of me and turns me into his weapon—"
Understanding dawned on him. "Lucy…"
"If he makes me hurt people, hurt the Alliance or… or my friends, then you need to stop me," she continued with more urgency. "You need to find a way to stop me for good. Promise me."
Itachi had never wished for his eyesight to return as much as he did in that moment. What had she seen in the scroll? What did she fear so much? Had the scroll shown her the phoenix? What she could possibly become?
"Itachi, please."
He considered her request and although his chest tightened at the thought of Lucy turning into his enemy, he knew what had to be done.
After a moment, he nodded. "I promise."
Neither of them spoke for a while and he wondered whether she was relieved by his answer or horrified that he'd so readily agreed.
Her footsteps approached the table again, her gait sounding confident once more before she settled down at the table.
She took a deep breath, as if readying herself for an uncomfortable conversation.
Itachi looked up, intrigued. What could be more difficult to discuss than her previous request?
She tapped the table with her fingers, the drumming echoing through the lounge.
He waited for her to gather her thoughts and once she was ready, her hands stilled.
"My visions of the war are jumbled – hazy at best," she began, a certain determination in her voice. "But you, Itachi, have a clear role in this war and once your eyes are healed and ready, there is something you need to do."
Her sudden revelation caught him off-guard.
"You need to stop the reincarnation jutsu, Edo Tensei."
..~**~..
The cold mountain air rushed through the cracks of the bay windows and I wrapped the small blanket tighter around my shoulders. Temperatures had dropped in the past couple of days and I was glad for the soft wool blanket I had found in the lounge to keep me warm after the sun had gone down.
I used it mostly in the music room as I had called it, the least insulated part of the house for some reason.
The koto spread before me, its sweet tones filling the near empty tatami room as I plucked its strings. After playing Ghibli and other classical music I had mastered on the piano as a child, I tried a few pop songs I had been practicing on the guitar during my free time at university. Acoustic versions of various hits were always fun to play especially with my friend, Rachel, who was an amazing singer.
Sometimes, I played the koto, losing myself into the music as I focused on my fingers, trying to find the chords so familiar to me on the guitar. Sometimes I sang, in soft undertones, making sure not to bother Itachi and Sasuke, who usually remained on the other side of the cabin.
I had tried to keep away from the music room at first. It had been almost painful recreating music from my world, music that no one would ever understand or appreciate here, but the joy it brought me was too much to ignore.
How had I spent all these months away from it?
It allowed me to focus my thoughts on lyrics and rhythm instead of thinking about my current situation.
My fingers stilled and I sat back contemplating the beautifully crafted board and silk strings before me.
I didn't know how long Tsunade intended to keep me here, but soon the brothers would leave. The bandages would come off and with their newfound power, they would leave. Straight to Kabuto to kick his ass I hoped.
I had told Itachi everything he needed to know and that I remembered about the war. About helping Naruto against a reincarnated Pein, about Kabuto and stopping Edo Tensei, and about some key events at the battlefield.
He didn't need to know about Obito, Madara or Kaguya. He wasn't supposed to meet them. As long as he stopped Kabuto as I had told him, his job was done.
I doubted he would stay away from the battlefield. He was a Konoha shinobi after all and he would put his life on the line just like everyone else to save the village. But I couldn't stop myself from fearing the worst.
And Itachi's scroll had shown it to me.
A bird of fire standing atop a mountain of burnt corpses.
The drawing of charred remains was forever seared into my brain.
Needless to say, I had barely slept the following night. I had proceeded to raid the kitchen cabinets the next day in search of alcohol to drink myself into blissful oblivion without any bloody dreams about the phoenix, Kaguya, Zetsu or the Ten-tailed beast, but of course, the cabin held none.
I had cooked and cleaned and walked around the garden and woods discovering a beautiful large pond, but nothing had helped calm me down. Once night fell, I had turned to koto and music, letting it soothe my anxiety and trying my hardest not to think of the war or Itachi.
I just wanted to stay in this cabin with him forever, wrapped in our little cocoon, far from the dangers of the outside world. Training, cooking, playing music—
Chakra appeared outside the door and I bit back a smile.
Leave it to the Uchiha genius to arrive undetected. I hadn't sensed his arrival, but I was glad for it.
He appeared in the doorway, sliding the paper wooden door as I got to my feet to greet him.
"Itachi, I didn't expect you here. Is everything alright?"
I couldn't help checking him out as he stood in the doorway. Tall, dark and handsome.
"Everything is fine. I came to ask you the same question. You've been in here a while."
He had sought me out. The thought lifted my spirits.
"Sorry, I tend to get caught up when practicing and didn't notice the time. But come in and sit with me."
I linked his arm with mine guiding him inside the room towards the bay windows. The lights were off to admire the full moon illuminating the outdoor garden, casting a beautiful silver shine over every plant and rock. Its shine even reached part of the music room where I had been seated.
I brought Itachi over to the koto laid out by the window, steering him away from the cold draft. He was dressed in warm clothes, black and blue as usual, and a pleasant scent of sandalwood lingered about him.
He sat down, seiza-style, and I guided his hand to the large wooden instrument before him.
"I was practicing on the koto."
"It's been years since I've encountered one," he noted, his fingers tracing the smooth polished wood.
I wrinkled my nose. "If you've come to show me that you're also an expert koto player, I must warn you that I'll probably respond with violence."
Amusement crossed his face. "Please don't. I assure you I have never played an instrument in my life."
"Well, thank God! I was about to give up ever playing again," I teased, settling down across from him. "Being your friend is exhausting, you know."
His lips twitched. "So I've been told."
"So, what else are you terrible at?"
He humoured me and took a moment to think. "Dancing."
I laughed at his unexpected answer – a real, genuine laugh – something that seemed to only occur around him. "Good. Cause that's kind of my thing too. Especially when I'm drunk. Anyway, did you need something?"
"I came to listen."
I raised a brow. "Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
That was unexpected. Since the 'kitchen incident' he hadn't been too forthcoming about spending time with me and despite his request to listen to me play several days ago, I had thought he had only been trying to be polite.
But instead, Uchiha Itachi had sought me out because he wanted to hear me play.
The thought made my heart flutter.
"Is something wrong?"
Yes, you.
"No, I just didn't think you were serious when you asked the other day." A sudden shyness came over me at the thought of playing for him.
He gave me an odd look. "I was serious."
His features settled into his usual stoic mask and I wasn't sure what to make of it. As much as I dreaded the day the bandages would come off and he would leave, I also couldn't wait for Itachi to be healed so I could see his eyes again and get an inkling of his thoughts.
His fingers continued to trace the instrument's outline, moving up to the strings and bridges.
"Have you always played music?"
My eyes followed the trail of his fingers, remembering how they had felt against my skin. I couldn't remember the last time he'd touched me – not since the target training outdoors.
"My father's a musician so it was expected of me," I admitted, readjusting the wooden bridges beneath the strings. "Piano lessons from a young age and then flute, guitar, the drums. My brother never really liked music so my father put all his hopes on me. He was part of a famous band, you see, and I guess he hoped one of his children would follow in his footsteps."
Itachi sat back, listening although his face gave nothing away.
"I hated it. All the lessons, all the time I spent practicing classical pieces that never spoke to me. But I had a gift and my father wouldn't let it go. He wanted me to be the best. At school. At recitals. In competitions. But like every other girl my age, I wanted to be a singer. I begged my father for singing lessons, begged him to take me to auditions but he always refused. One day, when I was twelve or so, he said a talent scout was holding an open audition and he would take me as long as I did well in my lessons. I practiced like crazy for weeks, did everything my teachers asked of me for this one chance. I was so excited… and so naïve."
I remembered with vivid clarity that awful hot summer day in East London.
"I turned up along with hundreds of other girls all waiting in an endless line. I stood there for hours and hours with my guitar and when it was finally my turn, I had two minutes to make an impression. I was so nervous, but I did my best clinging to my guitar like an anchor and praying that they would notice me. They didn't and that was that."
I slipped on the three fingerpicks, small white squares, perfect for plucking the koto's silken strings.
"I was devastated. My father was trying to teach me a lesson about how hard the music industry was, but he'd underestimated my disappointment. I was so crushed I gave up music altogether for a few years."
It wasn't until I met some friends in high school who'd formed a band that I picked up my guitar again.
A cold draft rushed through the room and I shivered, but Itachi seemed unaffected, content to sit and listen to me.
I couldn't believe how much I had blabbed to him. "Sorry, my story must sound rather trivial to you."
"Not at all," he assured me. "I have been surrounded by shinobi my whole life. It's intriguing to hear about a childhood that didn't consist solely of trainings and missions."
I nodded, wondering how I would have turned out if I'd grown up shinobi.
"My father also expected the best and pushed me hard when I was a child," he added as an afterthought. "I guess we have something in common."
Trust Itachi to find similarities in our pasts even though they were nothing alike.
Desperate to change the subject, my fingers hovered over the koto and I plucked a few chords, exercising my fingers.
"So, what did you want to listen to?" I asked, thinking through the pieces I had practiced over the days. "The first one I practiced?"
I played the opening chords to the Princess Mononoke song.
"Actually I wanted to listen to you sing in your own language," he admitted, leaning forward. "I heard you practicing yesterday."
I paused, looking up at his bandaged face.
"You mean in English?"
"Aa."
My cheeks grew warm. I knew exactly which song he was referring to and hesitated.
It was originally a pop song, but Rachel had found the acoustic version, and I had played it obsessively on my guitar during exam times, the lyrics stuck in my head for days on end.
Itachi's layered bangs fell across his cheek and nose as he tilted his head to the side, sharpening his features and casting the other half in shadow. He looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time.
I bit my lip and diverted my gaze to the outdoor gardens instead. "Sure."
I bent over the large instrument, practicing a few chords and refocusing my thoughts. After a few minutes, I finally transitioned into the soft, languid notes of the song.
"If I told you this was only gonna hurt, if I warned you that the fire's gonna burn—"
My voice resonated through the music room, filling up the space with the melancholic lyrics along with the soft melodic notes of the koto.
The chill of the room, the ache in my knees, Itachi's warm presence, all of it disappeared to the back of my mind as I focused on the song and let it wash over me.
"—in the silence, when there's no one by your side, would you call in the name of love?"
I had struggled so much with the chords over the past couple of days, struggling to find the rhythm and lyrics again and for the first time, it was all coming together as I'd hoped.
This song that had once meant so much to me and that I was sharing with Uchiha Itachi.
"In the name of love…name of love…"
My eyes flicked to his face and something swelled inside of me.
This song that spoke of how far we would go for the person we loved. I thought of Itachi, how I had confronted him in the words, how I had helped him through his sickness, and in that moment the song resonated more than I ever thought possible.
A sense of clarity overcame me.
It's not a crush, Luce, you blind idiot. It's not just a crush.
The song finished and silence filled the room accompanied by its usual chill. I sat back on my haunches, my heart thumping as I waited for his reaction.
Finally, his shapely lips curled into a smile. "They should have noticed you."
It took me a moment to realise he was referring to my childhood audition and a burst of laughter escaped me, tension lifting off my shoulders. "Right, I'm sure they're kicking themselves for losing such a talent," I said, plucking the picks from my fingers.
"It was beautiful, Lucy," he insisted, the sudden honesty in his voice taking me aback.
"Oh, thank you." I itched to reach out and take his hand in mine, but the large body of the koto lay between us. A new kind of tension grew and I started to ramble. "I guess all those music lessons paid off in the end. I'm surprised I was able to piece together this song just by ear, I hadn't done that in a while. I wonder what my dad would say—"
I paused. At the thought of my father, the words choked in my throat.
The moon disappeared behind a cloud and the sudden darkness was suffocating. I wish I had turned on all the lights.
I stood up swiftly, refusing to give in to my emotions and grabbed the felt cover across the room eager to put the koto away again.
It felt strange mixing my two worlds like this – Itachi listening to me play, finding out more about my past and family. Playing the song had been a release for me and an achievement after struggling to find the chords for so many days but at the same time, it felt wrong.
I wasn't that Lucy anymore.
I had revealed too much and bringing up my past was painful.
The felt glided across the polished wood with ease and I slipped the fingerpicks in the small pocket.
There would be time for music once I returned to my world. I'd tell my father all about my exploits on the koto even though he probably didn't know the first thing about Japanese instruments.
I wondered what he could be doing at that exact moment.
Don't. Don't go there.
Was he okay?
Was he with my mother and Raph?
How was he handling my disappearance?
Images of my father breaking down in tears on our red brick doorsteps when my grandmother died rose to the surface. She had died unexpectedly of a stroke, and the shocked look on my father's face when my uncle had called to give him the news was forever carved in my mind.
I could picture him sitting on those same steps barely holding it together as he looked for me.
I had been gone for over six months.
I couldn't even begin to imagine the state my mother was in…
"Lucy?" Itachi's voice pulled me out of the rabbit hole.
I turned to him, taking in the beauty of his facial features in the returned moonlight, his hair appearing almost silver. He didn't move a muscle as he waited for me to speak.
Why was it that even blind he could read me like an open book?
"You know, I haven't told anyone else about this," I confessed, words tumbling from my lips. "Not even Tsunade knows the whole truth, but when I first arrived in Konoha, I could hear my family in my dreams. They would call to me."
I paused, remembering an important detail. "Actually, you know what? It started when we were attacked by Oto shinobi and you tossed me in the river."
Itachi noted the accusation behind my words. "I did it to save your life."
I raised a brow. "Really? Because I almost drowned."
His lips twitched. "It was a calculated risk."
"Sure, it was."
I was grateful, really. But the memories of the icy waters, the weight of my clothes dragging me down, and breaking my leg still sucked. "Well anyway, I remember hearing my mother's voice in the river after I lost consciousness. She called to me."
Lucy, sweetheart, wake up!
I still remembered her voice so clearly from that day.
"Then for several nights after arriving in Konoha I would hear her in my dreams. Sometimes it was her, sometimes my brother. Never my dad for some reason."
The last time we'd spoken my father had been on his way to the airport, headed overseas to a recording studio. He was often called upon to compose or play for other artists. Where had he gone? I couldn't remember.
Was that why I hadn't heard his voice? Because he'd been too far away?
"What about now?" Itachi asked.
The dreaded question hung silently in the air between us.
I averted my eyes to the garden, to the fish pond and its still waters reflecting the full autumn moon.
My voice came out as a whisper as I admitted my deepest, darkest fear. "Now I don't hear them at all. I haven't in months, and I'm terrified of what that might mean."
More than Obito, the phoenix, and all the rest of it, what terrified me the most was news of my family.
Why couldn't I hear them anymore?
A soft rustling broke my thoughts and I peered over my shoulder. Itachi was on his feet, skirting the large koto before stepping towards me.
"We all have fears," his smooth voice echoed through the room, "and we all have to confront them sooner or later, but whatever the outcome, know that you are not alone."
I was glad he knew better than to offer false promises of everything being alright.
I twisted around and watched as he extended his hand towards me.
"No matter what happens, you will never be alone."
I stared at his open hand, speechless.
My gaze lifted to his bandaged face and without a doubt, I knew that I could trust him wholeheartedly.
I could trust the promise behind his words.
You will never be alone.
My throat tightened. I couldn't believe how lucky I had been to have met him back in Kawa, and how right I had been to trust him.
And thank God, I had saved his life.
I slipped my hand over his and he grasped it tight, pulling me to my feet in one fluid movement. Surprised by his strength, I almost fell into him but grabbed his arm in time as his hand slid over my hip to steady me.
The sudden proximity was deafening, his warmth and scent overwhelming my mind.
I stared, wide-eyed, at my hand clutching his bicep as the other came to rest on his lean chest ready to push him away.
"Sorry," I mumbled against his shoulder, a deep blush colouring my cheeks.
I expected him to let go. I expected him to pull away, but his hand remained hot against my hip, his thumb laying on my bare skin and jolting my senses.
My heart thumped inside my chest.
I raised my gaze to his face as his head bowed, raven bangs tickling my cheeks. The warmth of his breath danced over my cheek and a tremor of anticipation ran down my spine.
"Itachi…"
His hand curved around my waist, holding me close as my hands slid to his shoulders—
The shoji door slid open with a bang, breaking us apart in an instant.
"Nii-san."
I wanted to kick myself for not sensing Sasuke's arrival.
Holy shit, what was that? Did we... did we almost… God, and Sasuke totally walked in on us and saw everything. No, you idiot, he's still blind. Calm down, he didn't see anything… he doesn't know… he doesn't know…
"Sasuke, is everything okay?" Itachi drawled, and I had to commend him for sounding so calm while my heart was racing a mile a minute.
"I need a bandage change."
Ah fuck, he knows. He knows! He's never sought me out before for medical help, there's no way his arrival was a pure coincidence.
From the stern look on Itachi's face, he was thinking the same thing. I put one hand on my forehead, willing my voice to sound as normal as possible.
"Sure, I'll be right there, Sasuke."
He turned away without a word, expecting me to follow and I rolled my eyes.
Releasing a deep breath, I turned back to Itachi and bit my lip.
Well, this is awkward.
"I... uh... I guess I should go check on him."
I wondered if he felt same sting of disappointment as I did.
He nodded, the lower half of his face indiscernible. "Goodnight, Lucy."
"Goodnight."
I walked out of the music room already missing his warmth and dreading the upcoming confrontation with Sasuke.